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Telegeography writes…Italy’s Pirelli group says it may be months before it finds a buyer for its controlling stake in Telecom Italia (TI). Pirelli is looking to sell most of its 80% interest in Olimpia, a company which owns an 18% controlling stake in TI. It has held negotiations with a number of parties, including AT&T, América Móvil, Telefónica and a group of Italian banks. Local media group Mediaset, which is controlled by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, is the latest firm to be linked with Olimpia. Pirelli chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera told a shareholder meeting: ‘We don’t have an exact timetable, but we don’t need to do it (sell the holding) in the short term,’ reports Reuters.

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Telecompaper writes…Olimpia, the Pirelli holding company and largest shareholder in Telecom Italia, has proposed a new chairman for the Italian operator. In a list of board candidates proposed for election at the AGM, Olimpia has omitted the name of the current chairman Guido Rossi. Olimpia hold 18 percent in Telecom Italia. Rossi took over as chairman last autumn following a dispute between the previous chairman Marco Tronchetti, who is also the Pirelli chairman, and the Italian government over the operator’s future strategy and shareholding structure. Pirelli is in the midst of negotiations to sell much of its stake in Olimpia to AT&T and America Movil.

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